Paul & Brad…Duo 2 leaks. Any thoughts?

Hi Paul and Brad,

 

I’m sure you’ve both seen plenty of articles and commentary regarding these “leaks” of the Duo 2, and you may even have a confidential inside track on just what MS is planning

 

It’s fair to say the design has had a polarizing effect on the Microsoft community.

 

Well, that’s not strictly true.

 

99.9999% of fans are appalled at the mere suggestion that the surface design team would even consider whacking an unsightly camera bump on the Duo 2.

 

00.0001% think it’ll be fine.

 

Do either of you believe these leaked images to be an accurate representation of the Duo 2?

 

I’d personally find it hard to imagine that the Surface Team would go down that design route, for any number of aesthetic and practicality/useability reasons, but this is Microsoft. They march to their own beat.

Conversation 18 comments

  • crunchyfrog

    18 August, 2021 - 9:21 am

    <p>I have to believe that if there’s any validity with these leaked images that it must be an act of desperation on Microsoft’s part to get the next version out sooner than later so as to capitalize on the Smartphone release cycle hype train.</p><p><br></p><p>If indeed this is the final design, it will most likely be the last Surface Duo we ever see or for a very long time.</p>

    • John Craig

      21 August, 2021 - 4:18 am

      <p>I share your thoughts but hope Microsoft don’t walk away from this too quickly. </p><p><br></p><p>Like the original Surface Pro, it took MS several years and at least three hardware attempts to find their space in the market.</p><p><br></p><p>Giving up too soon is never good for the fanbase.</p><p><br></p><p>The foldable phone market is brand new, and it’s in that weird, early phase where manufacturers are trying different things to see what sticks. Samsung are doing the same, and Apple are doing what Apple does best…sitting on the sidelines, watching the failures, and taking note of the successes, which they’ll copy and claim as their own in a few years’ time.</p><p><br></p><p>One thing is certain…the market is bored of single screen, black slab phones. They’ve peaked in every instance. Apple, Samsung, OnePlus, Oppo, etc are all doing the same thing.</p><p><br></p><p>It’s become a boring market. There’s a dwindling market of consumers that buy new phones because they want to. They’re upgrading because they need to. Every member of my household, and a growing number of my work mates and friends, are carrying 3+ year old devices. Nobody every takes their phone out and says, "check this out!" anymore. </p><p><br></p><p>We need some fresh ideas.</p><p><br></p><p>Microsoft are in a good place, given the circumstances. They’ve had about 10 years of experimenting with hinges and stands. What they’re doing now is applying that knowledge base to new products, which is a good thing for consumers and fans. </p><p><br></p><p>I’m hopeful that the Duo, like the Samsung Fold, will continue to go through a development and improvement cycle, until they hit on something that works.</p><p><br></p><p>I used the original Duo for a couple of weeks and would agree that it’s not the finished article. Buggy software and questionable hardware make it a no go.</p><p><br></p><p>But, for a first attempt it’s pretty darn good. It had something about it that made it feel special. </p><p><br></p><p> </p><p><br></p><p><br></p>

      • anoldamigauser

        Premium Member
        22 August, 2021 - 6:37 pm

        <p>I think the foldable phone market is non-existent. The only advantage they provide is a larger screen, while negatively impacting all the things that make a phone convenient. The foldable tablet market is what Microsoft, Samsung and others should be targeting before Apple enters the game and corners that market as well.</p>

  • Paul Thurrott

    Premium Member
    18 August, 2021 - 9:31 am

    <p>This device seems like a waste of time, and the camera, while terrible, is not the biggest issue with the first one.</p>

    • kshsystems

      Premium Member
      18 August, 2021 - 12:37 pm

      <p>What was it about the original Surface Duo that you took issue with?</p>

      • district

        Premium Member
        18 August, 2021 - 2:21 pm

        <p>For people who carry a Kindle around with them every so often, the Duo has really been a game-changer. And unlike the Samsung foldable models, if the outside of the Duo breaks – you can just cover it with a screencover/case, because you don’t need the outside to be protected – just the inside. That alone makes it worthwhile for me. No case – but protected unless you open it up. I love that!</p>

  • will

    Premium Member
    18 August, 2021 - 10:16 am

    <p>I would like to see or have seen, Microsoft release a Surface Solo, or Uno, single-screen phone. The use case for a dual screen, thick book phone is limited. It is not something you just take with you on a hike or around town. However, the problem is there are a lot of Android phone options so Microsoft would have to make it something that stands out a little. Maybe something along the lines of the Samsung flip devices?</p><p><br></p><p>I think Microsoft would like to be in mobile, but outside of mobile apps they do not have much of anything. They do not own the OS and unlike Chromium, they must start with what Android is and build from that. </p>

    • jlv632

      18 August, 2021 - 10:24 am

      <p>Why? There are a "Galaxy" of better phones and Samsung has a 9 year head start… </p>

      • will

        Premium Member
        18 August, 2021 - 11:55 am

        <p>Agreed. There are ALOT of Android phones available in various specs for people to choose from.</p>

  • Brad Sams

    Premium Member
    18 August, 2021 - 11:02 am

    <p>Duo 2 spec leaks are accurate – if this will help the sell phone, that I am not sure of. </p>

    • John Craig

      21 August, 2021 - 3:43 am

      <p>Hi Brad, overall, what’s your take on the Duo line?</p>

  • F4IL

    18 August, 2021 - 12:04 pm

    <p>A few months after launch, one could easily get the OG Duo for half the price. At some point amazon had units on a fire sale for as low as ~$450, which is almost $900 off. I am not saying msft cannot sustain this but from the perspective of (smartphone) users and the market as a whole the verdict is pretty clear, I think.</p>

  • district

    Premium Member
    18 August, 2021 - 2:19 pm

    <p>I’ll admit – I don’t actually hate the new renders. Why? I use my Surface Duo every day – and by far the _worst_ experience is trying to take a picture, because it requires you to fold the phone completely over each time. It’s super unnatural and awkward.</p><p><br></p><p>I try, as often as possible, *never* to have to fold the phone totally over because it takes too long and is a weird action. The fact that I can get away with doing so is because I just don’t make a whole bunch of traditional phone calls. But I live and die in SMS/Teams/Kindle and none of those need the phone fully folded over.</p><p><br></p><p>Am I in the minority? I guess. But right now I’m 1/8 of the commentators. So the math above may be a bit off!</p>

  • dstrauss

    18 August, 2021 - 2:20 pm

    <p>You can get a brand new, AT&amp;T locked 256gb Duo from buydig for $469 – that’s basically a give away. Seeing the Due Deux rumors, with a domino sized camera module and newer internals, makes me think they’ll be $569 on buydig in a year…</p>

  • anoldamigauser

    Premium Member
    18 August, 2021 - 2:51 pm

    <p>To use it as a camera, you currently have to fold it open and point the webcam at what you want to photograph. If the upcoming version has the camera bump on the outside, one will still have to open it to take a photo. Sort of like taking photos with an iPad, it is a bit dorkish. It is also inconvenient compared to using a regular smartphone.</p><p><br></p><p>To use it as a phone, without earbuds and a mic, you are basically holding a waffle up to your ear, and if I remember correctly, it has to be opened, and folded back.</p><p><br></p><p>To get an update, you have to take it out and open it to see the screens.</p><p><br></p><p>It basically fails at everything a phone is meant to do. That is why, in my opinion, it should be sold as an always connected tablet, whether it is running Android, or Windows on Arm. In that role it makes sense, as a phone not so much.</p>

    • jimchamplin

      Premium Member
      18 August, 2021 - 3:47 pm

      <p>It should still have telephony features though. To me one of the most absurd ideas is that cellular tablets don’t have cellular voice capability.</p>

      • anoldamigauser

        Premium Member
        18 August, 2021 - 4:00 pm

        <p>Agreed, but it should be a secondary function of the device.</p>

  • phjeong

    19 August, 2021 - 11:34 pm

    <p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I love that there are some changes that have been made with the stuff that we can see. I hope that it works out with the stuff that we see with the Duo since there are just some great developments with the camera bumps that we see and I hope that it works out well.</span></p>

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